It was another glorious fall day for Vermont Youth Cycling at Woodstock on October 1, 2022. The course was the hilliest yet. But, more than anything, the VTYC vibe was in the air.
View the Full Vermont Youth Cycling at Woodstock 2022 Gallery (available until Nov. 4, 2022)
As a decades-long cyclist myself, I am thrilled to be giving back to the sport with this project. I have donated a portion of the images from each event to VTYC to help promote future races and grow the sport.
This year’s gallery will be live until November 4, 2022. Images are available for purchase. All images copyright Kate Farrell Photography 2022; screenshots not allowed.
Start Line Portraits: Vermont Youth Cycling
My goal at the first two races was to capture action photos of as many racers as possible. I wanted racers to be able to see themselves after the race. I hoped they would remember working hard and feeling strong (at least a good bit of the time!). I hope that in years to come, they will look back and notice how much they’ve grown.
But, I decided to try something new at the third race: Start Line Portraits! I had noticed the range of emotion out there on the course — pure bliss, exhaustion, determination, and more. I wanted to capture the moments before the race. And what fun it was!
As a former decades-longer racer, I can relate to every emotion shown here! Racing is so much fun. It’s a bit nerve wracking and really hard.
Camaraderie and Plenty of Chocolate!!
Let’s be honest: the kids raced hard. They were digging down deep when I photographed them on the long climbs!
There were also many moments of camaraderie and inclusion: pre-race coaching and encouragement, fun on the course and a sweeper for every race. (And, big thanks to those sweepers who watch out for the racers and help me make sure I get a chance to photograph every rider before moving to a new location.) Every racer got big cheers at the finish line. Racers often sprinted to the finish, no matter their place.
This time the awards were donated by Tony’s Chocolonely which everyone enjoyed, especially since Tony’s is on a mission to make chocolate modern slavery free. There was even a small surprise birthday celebration after the awards ceremony.
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